Seven Days Beyond

by Ruth Hay

  “It is one of the things I do not do for myself now. Managing the stick and a heavy china item at the same time is not wise.”

  Valerie was more than glad to help. She glanced around the dining room on the way, hoping to spot one of the extraordinary Drake paintings she had heard of, but she saw only enlarged photographs of exotic locations including Egypt and Greece. Alina and her husband were travellers, it seemed.

  Over tea they chatted about the fine weather, the cold winter, the care and nourishment of hostas and Valerie’s connection to Fiona and Gordon’s castle home in Scotland.

  “Fiona has been like a daughter to Anna, you see. All of us in the Samba group of friends love Fiona and her family and we are so delighted she has found happiness in a place so well suited to her skills and interests. The castle is a model of conservation and resource management. It’s grand you have brought more attention to her work, Valerie, with your tour groups.”

  “My visits there are one of the highlights of that particular tour. I take only those who are truly interested so it’s usually a select group of people who can appreciate the hospitality Gordon and Fiona provide so generously. Will Anna Drake be visiting Fiona while she is in Scotland?”

  “Definitely! Anna is always a welcome visitor. Fiona calls her the ‘Grandmother from Canada’, to distinguish Anna from the large family of Scottish relatives the children already have on their father’s side. Sadly, Fiona has no one left in her own family. I think that’s why Anna is so much treasured.”

  Alina poured more tea and Valerie felt emboldened enough to ask again about Anna Drake.

  “It must be most convenient for Anna to be able to rely on your help when she is travelling. I know how much comfort it is to have a friend watch over my townhouse when I am working.”

  “We purchased these condos side by side for that reason and it has worked out well over the years. I take care of the mail for Anna and, as you know, I coordinate various things like the apartment rental. Any of our friends and family can check in with me. I keep a chart of who is where, and when. I have several devices to allow me to enlarge print and I have a special computer for responding to e mails. I don’t travel much nowadays but this is a way I can keep in touch. I also watch over our A Plus online business. Knitwear is still very big worldwide. I am not actively involved now. I have excellent managers. They know where to reach me if problems arise.”

  Valerie confirmed her opinion that this lady was no fool and her disability was handled exceptionally well.

  A visit to Anna Drake’s condo was not on the cards, it seemed, but Valerie felt sure she was one step closer to that artistic shrine.

  Sandra Halder found the invitation only after she had opened up several replies to Ian’s retirement party.

  Her first task was to double check the date. If it conflicted with Ian’s do she would be heart sick. Each event was important to her but she could not miss the special evening planned for her husband.

  She was relieved to find out she had plenty of time to arrange the visit to the Lake District in July. It was a full month after Ian’s party and would still allow them to escape for a week in Mull to celebrate his freedom.

  She entered the date in her iPhone and marvelled that it was a decade since the memorable week Valerie had first arranged. So much had changed in that period of time. It was difficult to remember who that former version of Sandra had been. It would be wonderful to see Corinne and Zoe again. Of all of the women, it had been Sandra who found it most complicated to extract herself from the daily business of running a child care facility. She had not been able to spend time with Valerie and the others as much as she would have liked. Now she could look forward to seven whole, wonderful days, relaxing and catching up in a beautiful location.

  It was a happy thought.

  Corinne Carstairs was just finishing her notes after her visit with Mary. She used a book of interfaced paper so a copy could be left with her patient immediately, before anyone could forget her instructions. Not that she had a worry about Mary. She was eighty-two and in sound mind, recovering from a hip replacement and doing very well. There had been one or two minor problems initially but those were solved now and her appointment for physiotherapy was scheduled and noted on the page Corinne would leave behind.

  She bid the smiling lady farewell and walked out into the spring sunshine. She was heading home early.

  No further appointments and a chance to take one of the little breaks that made all the difference to her mental and physical wellbeing. Mary’s garden was furnished with a bench under a tree. Corinne sat down there and removed her uniform hat so she could shake out her hair and relax.

  She checked inside her purse and found the envelope from Valerie. There was something very comforting in the sight of a handwritten letter these days. So much mail seemed to be about payments, bills, flyers for things you did not want and notifications you did not need. This envelope, however, had only good news.

  It held the promise of a holiday with good friends who were finding it more and more difficult to spend quality time together as the years went by.

  Trust Valerie to do the right thing. It was her impulse to pull her friends back into her life that had set up so much beneficial change ten years ago. Commemorating that change was the kind of thing Valerie Westwood would do.

  There was a special request as a postscript. Corinne was to inform Carla about the plan. The chance of Carla being free to join them was slim at best but it was just like Val to include her also.

  She marked the July date on the envelope with a flourish. She would enter it on the family kitchen calendar as soon as she reached home. It was a date to remember.

  Zoe Morton had always relied on Suzanne to sort her mail, including e mails, texts or whatever else arrived in her office. Now that her personal assistant had been promoted to CEO for Finance, a new PA had been schooled in Zoe’s likes and dislikes. Unfortunately, the new girl, Barb, had not got the memo on what to do with the occasional handwritten missive. The letter from Valerie Westwood languished unseen in the bottom of a basket in Barb’s office until Suzanne was passing through on her way to a meeting with Zoe and caught sight of the envelope projecting from the pile. She knew she had seen this kind of envelope before and as soon as she retrieved it the memory returned in full force.

  Zoe’s Aunt Valerie was the one who had caused Suzanne’s boss to break with her strict habits of behaviour and take a few days off in the Lake District. The Zoe Morton who had returned from that break had been a much different person. Suzanne often wondered what had happened there. She never summoned the nerve to ask such a personal question but the effects had been evident. There were the secret therapy sessions, the young girl invited to share Zoe’s apartment, a place no one ever entered unannounced.

  Most startling of all, there was the advent of colour into Zoe’s uniform of black and white designer clothing.

  And all that was only the beginning. Suzanne could not help wondering what revolutionary events would be initiated by this second letter from the same person Zoe had referred to as Aunt Valerie.

  She took the letter with her into the meeting.

  As soon as Zoe saw it in her Finance Officer’s hand she raised an imperious eyebrow.

  “How did you come by that little item, Suzanne?”

  “I uncovered it, as it were. Barb probably didn’t recognize its significance.”

  Zoe immediately opened the letter and scanned it quickly.

  “Damn! There’s an important date here I can’t miss. Can you bring up my July appointments on the computer, Suzanne? I take it Barb is out of the office.”

  Suzanne did as she was asked and saw that July was already a busy month with a week blocked out for an Excelsior suppliers’ conference in Italy, several notations she recognized as yearly assessments of progress, and the weekly staff meetings Zoe prized as a way to keep in touch with a rapidly-growing company.

  The anxious look on Zoe’s face smoothed out
when she saw the week at the end of the month was not set aside for anything more challenging than in-house meetings. At least that was as far as the business side of her life was concerned. There were other priorities unknown to anyone at the moment.

  “Suzanne, I will assign you to appoint a chairperson for the meetings at the end of the month. It’s your field now anyway and it’s time for you to see how your support staff can cope. As for Barb, she is under review for here on. I’m afraid no one comes close to your standards, Suzanne. Thank you being ever vigilant.”

  Zoe Morton made a mental note to inform Wesley of a change of plans that very evening.

  Valerie made a check mark on her list. The call from Zoe had come in this afternoon. Everyone she had contacted by letter had replied by phone and she was delighted. The seven day celebration was a go!

  Carla was a ‘maybe’ of course, but that had been expected. The original four would be together again and Valerie wanted it to be as memorable a week as the first had been.

  She set about making another list. This one would be the questions she could pose to her guests. She doubted this prompt to discussion would be necessary but it was always best to be prepared.

  How is your health?

  What are you most proud of in the last ten years?

  What is your plan for the future?

  Where do you want to go in the Lake District? Revisit, or first visit?

  She looked over the list and decided the last question should be first. It was supposed to be a holiday after all. They would have an expert guide to advise them. She started a parallel list of ‘must see’ destinations within an hour or two of their Ambleside location and pulled out some maps to include.

  There was plenty time still, but time had the habit of flying by these days. Perhaps she should get one of her cases out and put some items in it?

  The Reunion.

  Saturday.

  Valerie Westwood was feeling a little nervous. Everything was going too well. She had followed her steps of ten years before even though she knew it was superstition that was driving her actions. She spent a night in The Gold Rill Hotel and enjoyed the hospitality without, on this occasion, meeting anyone new.

  This morning she had been waiting on the office steps at the Lakeland complex before ten o’clock. She had been assured the large apartment with the wraparound balcony was not currently occupied, meaning she could enter immediately, or as soon as fresh linen and towels had been supplied.

  She stood tapping her foot on the step. She needed to inspect the apartment to see if everything was as it had been ten years before. Of course, there might have been changes but if these were upgrades of some kind she would be content. She doubted that any property of Anna Mason Drake’s would ever be in poor condition.

  What was wrong with her? This was going to be a very happy week. Everyone had responded. By tomorrow they would all be here and the fun could begin. She had today to settle in, buy some supplies and calm herself down. She looked up at the sky for the fourth or fifth time. The weather was an important factor in the success of this reunion. They had been blessed with good weather ten years before. She could hardly expect to duplicate that again. The Lake District was encircled by high mountains and those brought rain frequently. What would she do with her guests if they were deluged for a week?

  “Just stop this now!” she chided herself. “You are not in control of everything. You don’t need to be in control. The three women who are coming here will have their own ideas and they are perfectly capable of dealing with any upsets including weather conditions.”

  A small black cat scurried out of nearby bushes in alarm at her tone of voice. She was not used to a person talking to no one and disturbing her morning nap.

  One of the girls who worked on changeover day approached with arms full of folded sheets and towels.

  “You’re all set now, Mrs. Westwood. I gave the place a good dust and polish yesterday. Everything’s looking spic and span. If you see anything you need, just give me a ring. I’ll sort it out before your guests arrive.”

  Valerie said thank you, handed over a bank note with a smile and gladly accepted the keys. There were duplicate keys as she had requested, which meant the women could go their separate ways if they wished and not have to wait for the key holder.

  At once her anxiety level decreased. This was the beginning. She went up to the street level, along for a yard or so, then down stairs again to the entrance to the apartment above the pool.

  It was not possible to open the side door without being captivated by the mountain view. She stood and inhaled. It was the same as she had remembered; so much changed so rapidly, in these 21st century days.

  It was reassuring that God’s handiwork stayed the same.

  Inside she noted a few improvements. New covers and pillow shams in the bedrooms, an L-shaped leather seating area in the living room, and different cushions with patio window drapes to match. On the spacious balcony were tables and chairs of a higher quality than the ones she had remembered. One of the tables had a patio umbrella that could be folded when not required. She checked out the bathroom facilities and was pleased to see the same useful features including the storage cupboards holding luggage as well as clothing. She thought the televisions sets had also been upgraded but she was not impressed by this. As far as she could recall, no one had time to spend on television a decade ago.

  Following her desire to make everything as it was before, she chose the same twin bedroom she had shared with Sandra and unpacked, installing her clothes in exactly the same drawers and shelves.

  When that was done, she had the urge to go exploring to see the town and find out if it had stayed the same.

  The first walk down the steep lane reminded her of the struggle it would be to get back up again so she decided to bring enough supplies home with her to take care of the evening’s meal. She had thought it better to wait for the major shopping trip in Windermere. It was something they could all do together.

  Valerie always enjoyed shopping in British grocery stores. They were quite different to those in North America and she was able to renew acquaintance with treats from her years in Scotland before she and David emigrated.

  Ambleside was the same bustling town as ever. Traffic rushed by on the one-way system and summer holidaymakers, with dogs and children in tow, thronged the streets. She soon discovered her favourite shops were still in business. Tesco Express was handy for almost everything she needed and she would go there just before attempting the lane climb. Several coffee shops were busy with customers and she took a quick detour to see the expansive park that led to hill climbs and flat walks away from traffic. She marvelled, not for the first time, that such an open area commanding magnificent mountain views was hidden from the town along a short side street. She promised herself she would cross the park and walk there soon.

  Back on the main street, she found the famous Apple Pie Bakery still exuding its appetising smells and she stepped into the queue to order a slice or two of warm spicy apple tart to take back with her. From experience, she knew the flimsy paper bag supplied by the shop would not hold warm food for any length of time so she bought one of their canvas shopping bags and stowed her purchase safely inside.

  By this time, Valerie was feeling the effects of the previous night’s restless sleep. She headed for the Tesco Express and bought the basics, carefully restricting her load with thoughts of the steep climb.

  When she reached the apartment, after a good deal more time and effort than she had anticipated, Valerie

  was more than ready for a cup of tea and a slice of spicy apple. That done, she poured a hot bath and checked her cell phone for messages while the bath cooled. To her surprise there was a message from Dr. Wesley Philips. Hoping fervently that there had not been a change in Zoe’s plans she clicked on the voicemail and waited.

  “Valerie, if you are not alone, please wait until later to hear this message.”

  This was a worryi
ng start. She put the phone closer to her ear and listened carefully.

  “I’m calling on behalf of Zoe to tell you about our ideas. We were initially going to spring this on you unprepared, as it were, but we reconsidered the validity of this approach. As hostess, you need to be cognizant of events that may disturb your plans.”

  She sat down on the nearest bed and wished Wesley was not quite so long-winded. Get to the point, she breathed. What’s happening?

  “You see, Zoe and I had decided to marry this summer. It was to be a very quiet and private affair in London but as soon as we knew about your reunion our plans were altered.”

  Oh, Lord, don’t say you have postponed the wedding? Please, no!

  “Now, Valerie, Zoe insisted I make it clear that you have no responsibility for the change of plan or, please note, for the subsequent arrangements.”

  What? What arrangements? Where? When? Could he possibly speak any more slowly?

  “Everything is settled. All you and your party need to do is turn up at the venue to wish us well.

  Please reserve the late afternoon and evening of Wednesday for our wedding blessing and celebratory dinner at The Daffodil Hotel in Grasmere. Rooms have been booked for our additional guests and the bridal suite is reserved also. Zoe and I will depart the next day for our honeymoon in Europe.

  Let me say how delighted I am to agree with Zoe’s wish to include her dearest friends in this long-awaited day. If possible, Zoe would like to break this wonderful news herself. So don’t mention it to the others just yet.

  If you have any concerns, please advise me as soon as possible at this number. Thank you.”